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British-based graduates pay back their student loans automatically through the tax system once their earnings exceed £15,000.

However, there is no equivalent mechanism for those who move abroad. They are required to set up direct debits, or remember to pay online.

Officials have only taken legal action to recover funds against nine EU students since 2009.

Officials have only taken legal action to recover funds against nine EU students since 2009

Statistics show that almost 30,000 EU students became liable to start repaying loans over the past five years. They owe just over £6,000 each on average.

Some 2,600 have already fully repaid their loans, while a further 8,000 have remained in the UK and started to pay theirs back through the tax system.

However, of the 8,700 known to be living overseas, 2,400 have been placed ‘in arrears’ after failing to disclose details of their financial arrangements, while 400 have defaulted on repayments.

Some 5,100 are not earning enough to repay, meaning just 800 of these students are paying off their loans.

In addition, 9,900 EU students are classed as ‘not currently repaying – further information being sought’.

Those classed as ‘in arrears’ or ‘not currently repaying’ owe approximately £75million, although the total amount owed is considerably more.

Tens of thousands more students from the EU are currently at university and have borrowed £239million to cover tuition fees.

When they apply for loans, EU borrowers are required to provide proof of identity and address, as well as the addresses of two other contacts.

These can be used to trace students if they do not repay.

A spokesman for the Student Loans Company said: ‘SLC piloted arrangements in 2009 for collecting repayments from overseas borrowers, resulting in legal action being initiated against nine EU borrowers.

‘We are currently in the process of reviewing accounts of all borrowers who are known to reside overseas and who are in arrears, with a view to issuing legal proceedings against those who do not respond to correspondence from the SLC.’

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EU students at British universities owe us £75 MILLION in taxpayer-funded loans